Improvement in carriage-steps and foot-rails



`detached to show tht UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

THOMAS YV. PORTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-STEPS AD FOOT-RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,551, dated January20, 1874; application led September 17, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T. W. PORTER, of Bos-- ton, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inCarriage-Irons, of which the following is a speeiication:

This invention relates to the peculiar forni, material, combination, orarrangement ot' parts ot' the several irons; and the invention consist-sof a foot-rail, the sections ot which are united in a peculiar 1nruiner, and having roughened foot-pieces, ot' hard metal, inserted inthe rail at the proper points; also, in a step-pad having projectionst'ornied upon the under side, by which to secure it to the shank, andalso to secure the rough pieces ot' hard iron which are inserted in thepad.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ot' the foot-rail, oneend bracket being wanner of connection with the rail. Fig. 2 is atsp'Xor plan view ot' one of the hard-metal pieces. which are insertedin the steps and toot-rails. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ot' thestep-pad and a portion of the shank. Fig. 4 is an underside view of Fig.3.

In the drawings, a represents the central portion of the foot-rail. b isa front, and c c are the end brackets, the ri ght-hand one bein grepresented as detached from the central part a, in order to show theconstruction ot the parts and hole through which the rivet passes thatconnects the parts together. tl dare two diamond-shaped pieces ot' whiteiron, which are inserted in coirespondin g holes in rod a, and aresecured therein by projections formed upon the back side of rod a in thesame manner as is shown upon the step in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2, as before stated, represents one ot the diamond-shaped pieceswhich are inserted in the rail and steps, and which have formed upontheir faces small sharp projections for the purpose of insuring a firmfoothold when resting thereon in entering or leaving the vehic-le. Thesepieces may be of any desired form of outline, and they have a slightlateral projecting rim at the edge near the lower side, to prevent theirpassing too far through when being fastened in place.

A, Figs. 3 and 4, represents a step-pad or foot-piece, and B is theshank. The pad is formed with holes, as shown at e, Fig. 4, in which areinserted the rough pieces d, as before stated.

In Fig. 4 are shown projections formed upon the pad and marked j', theybeing so arranged as to secure the pad to the shank by clinching themaround' thesame, as shown at j'1 andfz, Fig. 4, while those marked g areformed around holesv e, and serve to secure the pieces d in the sainemanner as is shown at g2 in said tigure. In this figure the projectionsaround piece d1 are shown upright, as formed, while those around d2 areshown clinched down upon the inserted piece to hold it in place.

r Having thusdescribed my invei'ition, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot-rail having the brackets@ c united with the bar a,substantially as described and shown.

2. The roughened metallic pieces d d, in combination with rail c,substantially as described and shown.

3. The roughened metallic pieces 1,either` THOMAS V. PORTER.

Witnesses EBEN IIUTCHINsoN, EUGENE HUMPHREY.

